John McLaughlin, Jaco Pastorius, Tony Williams- Trio Of Doom (2007)- **** (Had no idea this existed before this week. It's every bit as insane as you'd expect. Fantastic!)
Yellowman-Zungguzungguguzungguzeng (1983)- ***1/2 Ben Kweller- Cover The Mirrors (2025)- **** Snooks Eaglin- The Way It Is (2002)- ***1/2 Otis Redding- Complete Stax/Volt Singles: Single Disc Edit (2013/2025)- **** Stone Temple Pilots- Essentials (2024)- **** Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings- I Learned The Hard Way (2010)- **** The Rolling Stones- Exile On Main Street (1972)- **** Cheap Trick- All Washed Up (2025)- ****
The Allman Brothers Band- Idlewild South (1970)- **** Rosie Flores- Rockabilly Filly (1995)- ***1/2
Nick Lowe- Party Of One Demos (1990/2025)- **** (A controversial opinion, I'm sure, but "Party Of One" is my fave Nick record and these demos are insanely good.)
Adrian Belew- The Lone Rhino (1982)- **** Killing Joke-S/T (1980)- ***1/2
Ben Kweller- Cover The Mirrors (2025)- **** (The best Jeff Tweedy solo album he still hasn't made. This is a great record.)
Irma Thomas- Simply Grand (2008)- **** (A perfect record to start the day.)
I Roy- Dread Bald Head (1976)- **** The Beatles- 1: Sides One & Two (2000)- ***1/2 Amy Winehouse- Back To Black (2006)- **** Prince & The New Power Generation- Love Symbol: Personal Edit (1992)- **1/2 (Even I can't save this record.)
Traffic- Heaven Is In Your Mind: Rare 1968 U.S. Mono, Kevin Gray Master (1968/2021)- **** (In my Top 20 of all time, and this might be the definitive version.)
Led Zeppelin- I (1968)- **** v/a –Young Limbs Rise Again: The Story Of The Batcave, 1982-1985- Disc One (2023)- ***1/2 Electric Light Orchestra- Out Of The Blue: Personal Edit (1977/2025)- ***1/2 The Hollies- Bus Stop: Personal Playlist (2025)-**** The Lords Of the New Church- S/T (1982)- ****
Larry Young- Into Somethin' (1965)- ***1/2 (It's not "Unity," but still a great session.)
Dennis Bovell & Friends– Different: The Dennis Bovell Singles Collection, 1977-1981(2025)- *** NRBQ- At Yankee Stadum (1978)- **** The Beatles- Revolver: U.S. Mono (1966)- **** The Police- Ghost In The Machine (1981)- ***1/2 Classix Nouveaux- S/T (1981)- **1/2 (I loved the single "Guilty," but don't recall much else. This showed up in a collection, so I gave it a spin. Stick with "Guilty.")
The Cure- Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss: Dr. Wu Edit (1987/2025)- ***1/2 Motorhead- Lemmy's 50th Live At The Whisky A Go Go, 12/28/95 (2025)- **** (An amazing performance and one of the best sounding live records I've ever heard!)
Rush- Hemispheres (1978)- **** Grace Jones- Nightclubbing (1981)- **** Electric Light Orchestra- Balance Of Power (1986)- **** (Song after brilliant song, yet understandbly dismissed because of the production.)
Sade- Best Of...(1994)- **** St. Vincent- Todos Nacen Gritando (2024)- **** David Bowie- Pinups (1973)- **** (It's "Trash Records Sal Loves Day" over at Power Pop. might have to listen to them all this snowy weekend. Coming up. Van Halen, ELO, & Led Zeppelin.)
The Beatles- Help! (U.K. Stereo)- ****
Sabrina Carpenter- Man's Best Friend (2025)- ***1/2 (I finally gave this a fair and focused spin and there is more to like than I originally thought. It wasn't horrible. It's pop music, sure, but some of it was really good pop music. Might even listen a second time,)
The Cure- Disintegration: Dr. Wu's Reluctant Edit (1989/2025)- *** (I, for one, would have cut "The Same Deep Water As You." I lost patience at four minutes, with six minutes more to go.)
The Cramps- A Date With Elvis (1986)-***1/2 The Rolling Stones- More Hot Rocks: Sides 1-3 (1972)- **** The Wildhearts- Satanic Rites Of The Wildhearts (2025)- ***1/2 Dumpstaphunk- Live At Tipitina's, 5/4/25 (2025)- ***1/2
Procol Harum- S/T (1967)- **** Eddie Bo- Slippin' And A Slidin', Singles As & Bs 1956-1962: Disc Two (2020)- ***1/2 Sting- The Dream Of The Blue Turtles (1985)- ***1/2
Bob Dylan- Highway 61 Revisited (1965)- **** Rosie Flores- Christmasville (2025)- *** Carl Allen- Tippin' (2025)- ***1/2 (This is a solid, old-fashioned bop record, with a few really beautiful ballads, as well.)
v/a- The Christmas Eve Mix (2025)- **** Christmas Time Is Here- Vince Guaraldi Trio Ode To Joyful- Jon Batiste Sleigh Ride- The Ventures Footsteps In The Snow (instrumental)- Chris Rea Heavenly Night- Ronnie D'Addario & The Lemon Twigs Marshmallow World- Los Straitjackets I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm- Dean Martin It Came Upon A Midnight Clear- The Fab Four This World We Live In - Mina Let There Be Snow- Andy Partridge Silent Night- Allen Toussaint Blessed- Wycliffe Gordon Give Me A Second Chance (For Christmas)- Mike Viola My Favorite Things- Tony Bennett Christmas All Over Again- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers I Want An Alien For Christmas- Fountains Of Wayne Silver Bells- Maurice Brown Cloud Nine- Charlie Rich In A Sentimental Mood- Duke Ellington & John Coltrane Linus & Lucy- Vince Guaraldi Trio Winter Wonderland- Darlen Love Blue & Sentimental- Ike Quebec Don't Dream It's Over- Deacon John Christmas At the Airport- Nick Lowe Deep River- Grant Green Driving Home For Christmas- Chris Rea Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday- Reckless Sleepers Candy Cane Lane- Sia O Holy Night-Irma Thomas Children's Crusade- Sting Thanks For Christmas- XTC Deck The Halls- Charlie Hunter & Bobby Previte Skating- Vince Guaraldi Trio It's A Big Country- Davitt Sigerson Nessum Dorma- Jeff Beck Merry Christmas Baby- Charles Brown I Believe In Father Christmas- Greg Lake Perfect Christmas Song- Nicole Atkins & Gaspard Royant Beautiful Boy- John Lennon All Alone On Christmas- Darlene Love It Must've Been Ol' Santa Claus- Harry Connick Jr. Indian Giver- Squirrel Nut Zippers Do You Hear What I Hear?- Spiraling I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday- Roy Wood's Wizzard Fairytale Of N.Y.- The Pgues & Kirsty MacColl Step Into Christmas- Elton John Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)- Darlene Love Christmas Wrapping- The Waitresses Happy Xmas (War Is Over)- John Lennon All I Want For Christmas- Mariah Carey
